Fought My Way
by Enarre
Summary: Hours after defeating the Labyrinth, Sarah realizes something about herself.  Oneshot.  Pre-Sarah/Jareth if you squint.


**Disclaimer:** _"Fan"_ fiction.

**Author's Note:** I absolutely believe that Sarah did the right thing in the movie, and I will never have her take back her infamous "You have no power over me" line. But that doesn't mean that she has to think of Jareth as no one, does it? Hur hur ;P

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><p><strong>Fought My Way<strong>

The child once stolen slept soundly back in his crib in the room across the hall, far away from goblin cities and labyrinthine castles.

Her thoughts kept traveling back to her fragile brother, no matter how much she felt like reliving her adventure. She wanted to think about the dangers she had faced, the friends she had made, the temptations she overcame, but every time she tried, her mind kept falling back, whispering in relief:

_'Toby's back. Toby's safe.'_

So, Sarah Williams stopped fighting her mind and let it wander where it may.

Her hair spilt over her pillow where she lay exhausted on her tidy bed, still in her jeans. With her jade eyes closed, she could ignore the chicken feathers and did-she-really-want-to-know's scattered around her room leftover from the party. Still she kept thinking, over and over, _'He's safe, he's here, and I'll never let anything bad happen to him again.'_

Amidst the remains of her adventure, of her guilt and triumph, Sarah could feel the future shaping around her, changing in perpetual motion.

But she knew that when she woke up tomorrow, she would still be a selfish young girl. Change was not overnight, and all her bravado and lessons would later be challenged by the habits of her old life.

But she also knew that _now_ she could fight against her own fears and insecurities. She knew now that Toby was precious to her, that she took too many things for granted, and that she was so much stronger than she had ever thought she was. Nothing could ever take away what she had learned beyond dangers untold. Her will was great, and she would take the challenge of habits and normal life head on—and conquer.

A small smile touched her lips with feather-light joy.

For the first time since her mother left, Sarah felt free.

_'I'll protect us both, Toby_.' Her promise, soft and full, filled her with a purpose, and her dark emerald eyes opened to see the vacant spot of Sir Lancelot.

Her smile only grew.

And it was all because of the people she had met.

"_I need you,"_ she had said just a few hours ago, _"All of you."_

And she had meant it.

Her smile faltered only for an instant, a brief flicker of doubt and fear, but then she thought again of who she was becoming.

_All of you…_

Her friends – the brave-underneath-cowardice Hoggle, the strength-of-heart Ludo, and loyal-beyond-reason Sir Didymus – all taught her of noble intentions, but while her heart grew kinder with them, her own power was not owed to them.

_Storms and dreams, goblin masks and dances, stairs to nowhere and leaps to anywhere, temptations and intimidation, family or selfish intentions…_

Up until now, this moment, did she really see that everything he had done…

Despite her body's protests, she peeled herself from her bed and made for her vanity with only a slight stumble in her step. Exhaustion-ridden, she plopped down in the chair and stared at the contemplative reflection of herself.

There were noticeable changes in her image: a tilt of her head that was no longer from petty rebellion, and self-assurance in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, Sarah Williams accepted that her storybook villain had also been her greatest ally.

And for that, she owed him this one last thing.

Her fingers threatened to shake and her heart restarted its cadence a little too fast, but she held back her small trepidation and distrust. After all, _he_ would not harm her, not now, not after all he had done for her, right?

She hesitated.

After all, the dangers had been _real_ and while she was fairly certain that Ja—the Goblin King hadn't used the full extent of his abilities, she also knew that he hadn't pulled any punches either. No, everything that happened had been another step closer to the edge – of losing Toby, of losing herself – and though she had grown stronger, Sarah was not so blind to see that she could have fallen.

But she didn't fall.

In a strange sort of way, she was the fruits of _his_ efforts.

After nearly a solid hour of thinking, '_Toby's okay_,' she had come to understand that her brother was safe now because of everything she had learned. Including what he may or may not have meant to have taught her. And Toby will continue to be safe—_she_ will be safe.

No more hiding in her mother's shadow and dodging the fact that life goes on. No more guilty stabs toward her stepmother who deserved none of it, and no more crying herself to sleep with the chant, _But it's not fair._

Finally, she could move on.

With her newfound inner-power, she vowed to always protect her brother—and herself.

So she leaned into her mirror, no longer staring at her reflection, and whispered, "Goblin King, Goblin King…"

She waited.

And waited a few minutes more.

She was not surprised when there was no answer. Her eyes fell though, slightly disappointed that she would not be able to tell him in person what she most wanted to say.

_Everything I have done, _he had said,_ I have done for you._

She took in a shaky breath and said:

"Goblin King… thanks."

She sat there for a moment longer, wanting without wishing. And yet, the beginnings of a soft smile, filled with elegant gratitude, curved her lips ever-so-slightly.

Even as her own green eyes continued to stare back at her.

After a moment, she thought that it was probably for the best. She didn't know what else she would want to say to the man who had irrevocably changed her life.

So without another word, Sarah returned to her bed, too tired for pajamas, and fell into her mattress, not bothering either with her sheets.

Within moments, she fell deep into much deserved sleep.

Although her fatigue robbed her of a dream, that smile followed her into nightly oblivion.

.

.

.

He waited.

And waited many minutes more, careful to not wake her when he stepped into her room.

His eyes, mismatched and ancient, lowered to see the young girl draped carelessly on her bed, and he felt no measure of gratification that was undeserved as he looked at her.

He smiled down on her as he took a seat on her vanity counter, tapping his riding crop absently against his leather boot. No words were spared, for there were none yet to give, and as a creature where words were living promises, he felt that none should be given unjustly. If any words were spoken, then he would choose them with care.

'_You have no power over me.'_

Sarah understood now. Her cautiously given gratitude had been far more than enough testimony of that.

Slowly, a frown began to creep onto his thin lips. Had he ever been thanked? Who was the last person to have even had the will to defeat his labyrinth?

The thoughts unsettled him. He got up then from his perch and stood over her, adjusting her minimally to bring her blankets over her. He leaned over her for a moment, brushing aside a raven lock from her face and let his crestfallen expression ignite into a small smirk.

Sarah had thanked him.

For that, he thought, surely she deserved a gift.

With a flick of gloved fingertips, a crystal danced against his palms before he gently placed it under her pillow. He chuckled, maybe this gift she wouldn't deny or break with a chair.

"Sweet dreams, precious Sarah," he whispered like a sigh, his words only a breath.

Then with a flip of his cloak, he fell back into the darkness of the night, where sleep took hold and dreams brushed against his feathered wings as he flew.

Still, he thought, he would have to keep an eye out for Sarah, for she had more promise than he had once thought her capable of.


End file.
